Our SARS-mailing
no. 13 comes to you with some good news concerning your mobility.

As the
SARS-situation seems to quiet down in China and as Shanghai
has remained free of new cases for more than a week, the Shanghai
Municipal Government has decided that the City's residents will
now be treated like all visitors to the City, a move expected
for some time. The measure becomes effective on Monday June
2, 2003. This means in particular that Shanghai residents who
return from SARS-affected areas in China and abroad will no
longer need to quarantine themselves after their return. However
they will be required to fill out a set of forms and hand them
over to an organisation at their residence compounds. Furthermore
their temperature will need to be checked twice a day and the
returning resident will have to report his/her whereabouts.
Please check with the management of your residence or your local
Centre for Disease Control (CDC, see list
attached to our communication number 11) to which organisation
you have to hand over these forms.

It appears
that the authorities are trying to get life back to normal in
Shanghai and its surrounding region. Domestic travel for tourism
should also resume later in June. International outbound tours
remain officially restricted but this could also change in the
near future. The authorities are, however, reminding people
to remain cautious, an advice that we would also like you to
follow when you are planning your travel over the next few weeks.

On a personal
note I should like to inform you that my family and I will leave
Shanghai next week for a regular home leave. My Deputy Mr. Beat
Kaser as well as the able team at the Consulate General will
however continue to follow the situation closely and continues
to provide you with any important news on this matter.